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Subject: Excerpt Of History
Date: Sun, 19 Sep 2004 13:21:06 EDT
March 26, 1827 Vienna
"Ludwig van Beethoven, fifty-six, died of cirrhosis of the liver and
pneumonia. His last words, ' Friends, applaud the Comedy is over." Another version
says his doctor prescribed wine, but the vintage that Beethoven wanted was slow
arriving. He satisfied himself with lesser wines. When the prescribed wine
arrived, Beethoven said, "Pity, pity, too late," and died. Still another version
had the deaf musician saying, "I shall hear in Heaven." He was buried in
Vienna's Central Cemetery.
Beethoven had been in poor health for years, plagued with irritable bowels,
an autoimmune disease, migraine, and the deafness that almost drove him to
suicide. It was, however, another's depression that led to Beethoven's death.
Beethoven had assumed the guardianship of an orphaned nephew. When the nephew
tried to kill himself the night before a university exam, Beethoven, not stopping
to dress warmly, took his charge to his brother, whom he felt could dispel the
boy's suicidal mood. Following the long, cold trip home, Beethoven fell ill.
After two months of suffering he died."
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